The present invention relates generally to test systems for IC (integrated circuit) packages, and more particularly, to a sliding tray holder assembly that eases the handling of IC packages during testing of a high quantity of IC packages through at least one of a plurality of test stations.
During manufacture of integrated circuits, an integrated circuit die is mounted as part of an integrated circuit package, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuit manufacture. The integrated circuit packages are tested for proper functionality of the integrated circuit die within the integrated circuit package, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuit manufacture.
Referring to FIG. 1, an IC (integrated circuit) package test system 100 of the prior art includes a plurality of test stations including a first test station 102, a second test station 104, a third test station 106, a fourth test station 108, and a fifth test station 110. Each of the test stations 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110 are coupled to a control panel 111 which includes a first indicator 112 for indicating when the first test station 102 is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein, a second indicator 114 for indicating when the second test station 104 is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein, a third indicator 116 for indicating when the third test station 106 is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein, a fourth indicator 118 for indicating when the fourth test station 108 is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein, and a fifth indicator 120 for indicating when the fifth test station 110 is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein.
During operation of the IC package test system 100 of the prior art, an operator loads an integrated circuit package to one of the plurality of test stations 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110. Referring to FIG. 2, in the prior art, the operator holds a tray 200 containing a plurality of IC (integrated circuit) packages. The example tray 200 of FIG. 2 includes a first IC package 202, a second IC package 204, a third IC package 206, a fourth IC package 208, a fifth IC package 210, a sixth IC package 212, a seventh IC package 214, an eighth IC package 216, a ninth IC package 218, and a tenth IC package 220. A tray typically includes more numerous IC packages, but ten IC packages are illustrated in the tray 200 of FIG. 2 for simplicity of illustration.
During operation of the IC package test system 100, in the prior art, the operator holds the tray 200 with one hand and holds a suction pen 230 with the other hand. The suction pen 230 is coupled to a vacuum source for providing suction at the tip of the suction pen 230. Such suction at the tip of the suction pen 230 is amenable for picking up an IC package. Such suction pens are known to one of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuit manufacture.
The operator picks up each of the IC packages 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, and 220 using the suction pen 230 and loads each of the IC packages to at least one of the plurality of test stations 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110. In one example embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of test stations 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110 are similar test stations, and each of the IC packages is tested at one of the plurality of test stations 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110.
After an IC package is loaded into one of the test stations, the operator depresses a start button on that test station to begin testing of that IC package at that test station. When that test station has completed testing of the IC package, one of the indicators 112, 114, 116, 118, and 120 corresponding to that test station turns on to indicate that the testing of the IC package is complete. For example, such an indicator may be comprised of an LED (light emitting diode) which lights up when testing of the IC package is complete.
Each indicator corresponding to a test station may also include a mechanism for indicating whether the IC package passed or failed the testing at that test station. For example, an indicator may be comprised of a first LED (light emitting diode) which lights up to a first color such as green when the IC package has passed the testing at that test station, and of a second LED (light emitting diode) which lights up to a second color such as red when the IC package has failed the testing at that test station.
During operation of the IC package test system 100, in the prior art, when testing of an IC package is complete at a test station, the operator still holds the tray 200 with one hand and holds the suction pen 230 with the other hand to unload the tested IC package from the test station for transferring the tested IC package back to the tray 200. Such loading, testing, and unloading is repeated for each of the IC packages from the tray 200. In addition, such loading, testing, and unloading is repeated for each of the. IC packages from multiple trays. A typical volume of manufacture of IC packages may be more than 7,000 IC packages per day for example. Even with such a high quantity of IC packages that are tested, an operator constantly holds a tray of IC packages in one hand and the suction pen 230 in the other hand during the repeated loading, testing, and unloading of the high quantity of IC packages to and from the test stations 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110, in the prior art.
During a work day, which may in some cases include an 8 to 12 hour work shift, the operator experiences hand fatigue in constantly holding trays of IC packages throughout the work shift. In addition with constant handling of the trays of IC packages, the IC packages may become undesirably contaminated. The hand fatigue of the operator is especially prone to result in mishandling the trays of IC packages by the operator such that the IC packages become undesirably damaged. In addition, the operator may confuse which of the IC packages of a tray have already been tested and which of the IC packages of that tray have not yet been tested. As a result, some IC packages may go untested, and time may be wasted in retesting IC packages that have already been tested.
Thus, a mechanism is desired for easing the handling of trays of IC packages during testing of a high quantity of IC packages.
Accordingly, in a general aspect of the present invention, a sliding tray holder is coupled to an IC (integrated circuit) package test system having a plurality of test stations for holding the trays of IC packages during testing of a high quantity of IC packages through at least one of the plurality of test stations.
In a general aspect of the present invention, the sliding tray lolder includes a platform for holding a first tray of untested IC packages and for holding a second tray of tested IC packages. Each untested IC package from the first tray of untested IC packages is loaded to at least one of the plurality of test stations for testing of the untested IC package such that the untested IC package becomes a tested IC package. The tested IC package is unloaded from one of the plurality of test stations to the second tray of tested IC packages. The platform holds the first tray of untested IC packages and the second tray of tested IC packages such that an operator does not hold the first tray and the second tray during loading of the untested IC packages to the plurality of test stations from the first tray and during unloading of the, tested IC packages from the plurality of test stations to the second tray.
A linear slide holds the platform and guides the platform holding the first tray and the second tray along the plurality of test stations as the platform is moved along the plurality of test stations during loading of the untested IC packages to the plurality of test stations from the first tray and during unloading of the tested IC packages from the plurality of test stations to the second tray. In this manner, the operator is relieved from holding the trays of IC packages during testing of a high quantity of IC packages.
The present invention may be used to particular advantage when the platform includes a first plurality of tray guide tabs, disposed at each of two sides toward a left portion of the platform, for holding the first tray of untested IC packages substantially centered about the left portion of the platform. The platform then also includes a second plurality of tray guide tabs, disposed at each of two sides toward a right portion of the platform, for holding the second tray of tested IC packages substantially centered about the right portion of the platform.
In addition, the platform may also include a first orientation guide pin disposed at a side of the left portion of the platform. The first orientation guide pin is aligned to fit within a first groove disposed on a side of the first tray for proper orientation of the untested IC packages within the first tray with respect to the plurality of test stations when the untested IC packages are loaded from the first tray on the platform to the plurality of test stations. In that case, the platform also includes a second orientation guide pin disposed at a side of a right portion of the platform. The second orientation guide pin is aligned to fit within a second groove disposed on a side of the second tray for proper orientation of the tested IC packages within the second tray on the platform with respect to the plurality of test stations when the tested integrated circuits are unloaded from the plurality of test stations to the second tray. With such orientation guide pins, the IC packages are easily loaded and unloaded with proper orientation within the trays on the platform with respect to the plurality of test stations.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by considering the following detailed description of the invention which is presented with the attached drawings.